Selecting Biological Sex on ATF Forms
Key claim: The ATF proposes amending its regulations to require individuals completing firearms or explosives forms to select their biological sex rather than gender identity.
Abstract
(Proposed Rule · Justice Department, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau) The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) proposes amending Department of Justice (“Department”) regulations to make clear that when individuals complete ATF forms for firearms or explosives, they should select their biological sex under the question on “sex.”
Why this matters
This proposed change alters how transgender and nonbinary individuals interact with mandatory federal firearms and explosives paperwork, requiring them to record biological sex rather than gender identity. The practical civil-rights effect concerns identity verification, potential mismatches with state-issued ID, and downstream denial or delay risks in background checks. It also fits a broader pattern of federal agencies replacing gender-identity-based categories with biological-sex definitions across regulatory forms.